We come into contact with millions of bacteria each day, and the vast majority of them are essential for our general health and wellbeing.
However, there are some bacteria which can be harmful, particularly for those of us who have weakened immune systems or suffer from underlying illnesses.
Although we might not be able to control our exposure to bacteria whilst out and about, good hygiene can start right at home.
Whilst there are specific places you should target for a more hygienic home, you can also make a huge difference by simply washing your hands with soap and water to reduce the spread of contamination.
You need a clean home.
You need a clean home because a clean home is a healthier home. A clean home will be a safer home because it will contain less of the germs, dust and bacteria that make us sick or exacerbate our allergies.
A clean home also has the power to lower stress and fatigue. The more cluttered our physical space is, the more cluttered our brains become with anxiety. Therefore, a clearer physical space allows for your mental state to be at peace.
If you need a jumpstart to maintain a cleaner home, start with these tips. At the end of the day, so long as you work to avoid dust, germs and bacteria, you’re headed in the right direction.
Leave your shoes at the door
Scientists studied what we track into places via our shoes and found, among other things. That right there convinced you to start telling everyone to take off their shoes when they come in the door, didn’t it?
Keeping the shoes outside, or at least close to the door, helps limit what you track in and have to clean away inside the house. It’s a simple inconvenience for a cleaner home in return.
Put your home on a cleaning schedule
We’re not messing around here. Keeping the house clean starts with good cleaning habits. Good Housekeeping offers this comprehensive cleaning schedule to keep you on track. Here are some of the basics:
- Daily: Wash dishes. Air out the bed. Sanitize counters and anything that gets touched often (doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, etc.). Sweep the floor.
- Weekly: Clean floors and furniture. Mop floors. Dust all surfaces. Sanitize sponges.
- Monthly: Dust blinds, fans, light fixtures. Clean dishwasher & laundry machines.
- 3 to 6 months; Air out mattresses. Wash pillows & comforters. Wash shower curtain.
Evaluate your sleep hygiene
When we talk about sleep hygiene, we are talking about how clean you keep your bedroom, your bedding and your mattress. Cleaning your mattress may come as a surprise, but it’s an important component to cleaning up your sleep hygiene.
We spend a third of our lives in bed. In that time, we perspire gallons of sweat and shed pounds worth of dead skin cells. Your mattress can feel like a cocoon, but it is also a warm, moist 5-foot x 6.5-foot petri dish/breeding ground for bacteria, dust mites, bed bugs, etc.
Those are compelling reasons why you should replace your mattress every decade. If you’re ready to buy a new one already, and it has been over eight years since you did, know that the mattress marketplace has completely changed since the last time you bought one. Check out some reviews and learn about the many, many options out there.
Take care of your pet
Our pets can’t verbally communicate to us when they need a bath, so sometimes it’s easy to forget and push it off for longer than we should. Make sure you keep up with your pet’s hygiene regularly by bathing them as often as on a weekly basis. This becomes even more critical for pets that spend a lot of time outdoors and bring dirt inside with them.
Don’t forget about their products, either. Food and water bowls, toys, clothing accessories, and any other of your pet’s products need to be regularly cleaned too. Anything your pet is salivating on will build up with germs and bacteria if you aren’t keeping up with the cleaning.
Be consistent
The most important rule is to be consistent in keeping up with your home’s hygiene. When life gets busy and hectic it may seem tempting to push cleaning chores off for an extended period of time, but keeping your home clean is important all year long.
